Not everyone gets all gung-ho about Columbus Day. For some, it’s just another day of school or work. For others, it conjures up strong feelings about genocide or musings on whether it’s theoretically possible to discover a place that’s already inhabited. Controversies aside, we’re making Columbus Day about culture, and we’ve dedicated this week’s Meatless Monday recipes to Spanish-inspired cuisine.

While man-of-the-hour Chris Columbus was Italian-born, it was under auspices of the Spanish crown that he was credited with the discovery of the New World. And hey, how much of an excuse do we really need to try our hand at delicious meat-free dishes like paella, gazpacho and tortilla española? Whether you’ve voyaged to Spain and tasted authentic cuisine or not, these five vegetarian recipes are bound to be your biggest culinary discovery of the week.

Mango Gazpacho If you can’t stomach cold tomato soup, make it with mangoes instead. This sweet stuff goes down like a smoothie.

Vegetable Paella Swap your stir fry for paella and discover what all the fuss is about. It’s warm, filling, and the perfect place for fall veggies.

Potato Tortilla Similar to a frittata (but a way better texture), tortilla is everywhere in Spain. Try it at home with this basic vegetarian recipe.

Crudités with Romesco Sauce Originating in Catalonia, romesco is a red sauce typically made from a mix of nuts, garlic, olive oil, and nyora peppers (a smaller, sweeter, dried variety of red bell pepper).

Chocolate-Cinnamon Flan Slimmed down with unsweetened cocoa and low-fat milk, this rich and creamy dessert is well worth the longer-than-average cook time.

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